11 4 1718 the journal of biodiversity data 22 August 2015 Check List LISTS OF SPECIES Check List 11(4): 1718, 22 August 2015 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15560/11.4.1718 ISSN 1809-127X © 2015 Check List and Authors Tree species of the Himalayan Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, India: a checklist Omesh Bajpai1, 2, Anoop Kumar1, Awadhesh Kumar Srivastava1, Arun Kumar Kushwaha1, Jitendra Pandey2 and Lal Babu Chaudhary1* 1 Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, 226 001, Lucknow, India 2 Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Banaras Hindu University, 221 005, Varanasi, India * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: The study catalogues a sum of 278 tree species and management, the proper assessment of the diversity belonging to 185 genera and 57 families from the Terai of tree species are highly needed (Chaudhary et al. 2014). region of Uttar Pradesh. The family Fabaceae has been The information on phenology, uses, native origin, and found to exhibit the highest generic and species diversity vegetation type of the tree species provide more scope of with 23 genera and 44 species. The genus Ficus of Mora- such type of assessment study in the field of sustainable ceae has been observed the largest with 15 species. About management, conservation strategies and climate change 50% species exhibit deciduous nature in the forest. Out etc. In the present study, the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh of total species occurring in the region, about 63% are has been selected for the assessment of tree species as it native to India. Almost all tree species have some impor- consists of considerable number of species and has not tance in one and another way for the local people. In the been worked out during the recent time. study area about 80 species flower in the spring, 74 in The low lying land stretch in the north of Indo- the summer, 73 in the winter and 30 in rainy season. As Gangetic Plain along the foothills of Central Himalaya per the existing IUCN Red List, 24 species of the area fall is known as ‘Terai’ (Chauhan et al. 2010). The similar under different categories. Presence of these red listed region below the foothills of eastern Himalaya is trees in the study area enhances the importance of their distinguished from the Terai and is termed as ‘Dooars’ proper management and conservation plan. (Rodgers et al. 2002). It is dispersed in three Northern Indian States namely Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Key words: trees, Terai region, phenology, economic Bihar and the southern Nepal (Rodgers et al. 2002). It importance, Uttar Pradesh forms an ecotone where the Sub-Himalayan foothills encounter the plain region. Due to the edge effect this region exhibits the vegetation of both the contiguous INTRODUCTION regions and becomes one of the highly diverse regions Trees are not only the major components of the forest of the country (Shukla 2009) and is one of the most and the vital part of our ecosystem, rather they also diverse eco-regions of the world (De 2001; Kumar et al. provide shelter to lower organisms as well as wildlife, 2002).The region covers a geographical area of ca. 92,911 act as environment protector, reduce the pollutants km2 with a forest cover of ca. 8,108 km2 (Anonymous and provide a number of useful things such as timber, 2008). About 68% forest cover (5,501 km2) of this region fuel, fodder, food, medicine, charcoal, gum, resins, comes under the boundary of Uttar Pradesh covering 21 rubber, pulp for paper etc. for human beings in day to districts (Anonymous 2008; Jha 2007). day life. Many natural habitats are under threat and The information about the tree diversity of the Terai the species within them face potential extinction. The region is available in scattered form through various trees are fast disappearing and genetic diversity in tree publications (Duthie 1903; Brandis 1906; Kanjilal 1933; species has become more vulnerable than other plant Panigrahi et al. 1969; Srivastava 1976; Singh 1997; Saini species (Tripathi et al. 2013). Thus it is imperative to 2005; Maliya and Datt 2010; Mishra and Pal 2010; Kishor document and conserve the tree flora of any area before et al. 2011; Kumar et al. 2011; Maliya 2011, 2012; Bajpai they become threatened and lost. For any conservation et al. 2012a, 2012b, 2014; Behera et al. 2012; Mishra et programme of the tree species and their sustainable use al. 2013; Chaudhary et al. 2014). All the information Check List | www.biotaxa.org/cl 1 Volume 11 | Number 4 | Article 1718 Bajpai et al. | Trees of Himalayan Terai Region, Uttar Pradesh Figure 1. Study site in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, India. pertain either to small areas or have become out dated month spring (March) and autumn (October). The mean due to changes in nomenclature, distribution and minimum temperature varies from 4–5°C in December– circumscription of various taxa. Therefore, the present January and maximum 40–45°C in May–June. The study is a cumulative effort that includes review on average annual rainfall varies from 1,085–1,228 mm. The the existing literature, herbarium specimens housed Terai region comes under the tropical moist deciduous at Botanical Survey of India, Central circle, Allahabad type of vegetation (Champion and Seth 1968; Rodgers (BSA), Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow and Panwar 1988) which can be further divided into (BSIP), Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow following forest types: Sal forest, miscellaneous forest, (CDRI), National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow teak plantation and savannah grasslands (Bajpai (LWG) and collections made in the present study to et al. 2012b; Behera et al. 2012). The grass lands are prepare a checklist of tree species from the Terai region. chiefly located in the core zone of the forests. The teak The study will provide baseline information for floristic plantation was used to fill the gaps within the forest in diversity assessments and updating flora in future. this region about 20–30 years ago, which has been now become naturalized in many areas by the regeneration MATERIALS AND METHODS of other associate species such as Mallotus philippensis Study area (Lam.) Muell.-Arg., Bridelia retusa (L.) A. Juss., Miliusa The Terai region in Uttar Pradesh spreads from tomentosa (Roxb.) Sinclair, Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng., Saharanpur to Deoria covering 21 districts of the State Holarrhena pubescens (Buch.-Ham.) Wall.ex G. Donetc. (Jha 2007). It is situated between 28°45′–26°15′ N and 079°51′–084°24′ E as a 30–50 km wide and ca. 1,670 km Diversity assessment and data collection long strip with the elevation ranging between 100–300 The entire study area has been explored comprehensively m. For the safeguard of the biodiversity, one national to collect and document the tree diversity during the years park and six wildlife sanctuaries have been declared in 2011–2013. The plant specimens were randomly collected this region (Figure 1). The study area comes under the from the aforesaid vegetation types. The herbarium monsoon type of climate which witness three different specimens have been prepared following Lawrence (1951) seasons: winters (November–February), summers and Jain and Rao (1977) and were deposited at LWG. (April–June) and rains (July–September) with one The identification of the species has been done with the Check List | www.biotaxa.org/cl 2 Volume 11 | Number 4 | Article 1718 Bajpai et al. | Trees of Himalayan Terai Region, Uttar Pradesh Figure 2. Dominant families with corresponding number of species and genera. help of regional floras and existing literature. The earlier collections housed at BSA, BSIP, CDRI and LWG have also been observed for the proper assessment of the tree diversity of the study area. Different online databases such as GRIN, IPNI, ILDIS, The Plant list, TROPICOS, e-floras etc. have been used for the correct and updated nomenclature of the species. The flowering and fruiting behaviours ( phenology) of the species have been assessed by seasonal visits as well as with the help of other (Saini 2005; Maliya and Datt 2010; Mishra and Pal 2010; Kumar et al. 2011; Maliya 2011, 2012; Bajpai et al. 2012a; Chaudhary et al. 2014) regional work. The deciduousness and ever greenness of the species has also been noticed Figure 3. Number of species distributed across different vegetation types. during these visits. The economic values of the species have been assessed by interviewing the local Tharu tribal persons as well as from published work from the area. The families (Araliaceae, Capparaceae, Casuarinaceae, Cel- native orgin of the species has also been traced out with ast raceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Loganiaceae, Olacaceae, the help of different available on-line data bases (http:// Oxalidaceae, Pandanaceae, Pittosporaceae, Primulaceae, www.flowersofindia.net; http://www.efloras.org; http:// Proteaceae, Putranjivaceae, Rhizophoraceae, Sabiaceae, www.ipni.org; http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org). Santalaceae, Simaroubaceae, Symplocaceae, Urticaceae, In the checklist, the plants whose, herbarium specimens Verbenaceae) are represented by only single species and have not been seen, the references of the previous reports genus (Figure 2). About 146 species show the deciduous have been cited to know the source of occurrence of the nature followed by 102 evergreens, 19 semi-deciduous species in the study area. and 11 semi-evergreen species (Figure 3). The area encompasses about 63% (177) species native to India. RESULTS This clearly reflects that the Terai region has its own The present analysis includes 278 tree species under natural diversity which supports the stable ecosystem 185 genera of 57 families from the Terai region of the Uttar with well adaptability for the area. The remaining Pradesh. Each species has been provided with phenology, species belong to Asian, American, African or Australian economic importance, native origin, vegetation type, origin (Figure 4).